Community and technical college innovation account—Expenditures—Strategic technology plan—Enterprise resource planning

(1) The community and technical college innovation account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from operating fees in RCW 28B.15.031(2) must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only as provided in subsection (2) of this section. Only the director of the college board or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures. (2) Funds in the community and technical college innovation account may be used solely to: (a) Pay and secure the payment of the principal of and interest on financing contracts, such as certificates of participation issued for the innovation account under chapter 39.94 RCW and authorized by the legislature; and(b) Implement the college board's strategic technology plan to improve student achievement, student services, and increase systemwide administrative efficiencies. The college board must approve projects under the strategic technology plan to improve student achievement, student services, and increase systemwide administrative efficiencies before the director authorizes expenditures to be made. For large enterprise resource planning projects, the college board shall develop a technical and operational business plan and submit it to the legislature for approval before the project can be implemented. (3) Consistent with the implementation of the strategic technology plan, the college board and the community and technical colleges shall engage in substantial business process reengineering and adopt systemwide approaches to admissions, financial aid, student identification numbers, student transcripts, and other systemwide processes. (4) If the community and technical college system pursues an enterprise resource planning solution, they shall consider adoption of existing solutions already deployed at institutions of higher education in the state; short and long-term total costs of ownership; opportunities for partnerships, collaboration, coordination and consolidation with other entities in higher education; technical flexibility; and other requirements that support costs efficiencies. If the college board adopts a plan for an enterprise solution that is not coordinated with other institutions of higher education, authorization of expenditure of funds by the legislature must be approved by the office of financial management.